The present invention relates generally to optical fiber coupling devices, and more particularly to a novel optical fiber connector for coupling two light-conducting optical fibers in an abutting relationship.
The efficient operation of systems utilizing optical fibers requires that the light-conducting fibers through which the optical signal transmissions are made are characterized by minimal losses in optical transmissibility along the optical path length of the optical fiber cable system. Where the ends of two optical fibers need to be joined in an abutting relationship in order to provide a continuous optical path through the two abutting fibers, special precautions must be taken in providing accurate alignment of the abutting ends in order to prevent loss of light at the juncture, or otherwise to avoid impairment of the optical transmission characteristics of the optical fiber cable system.
Numerous optical fiber connector configurations have been proposed for coaxially joining the abutting end portions of two cooperating optical fibers to preserve the light-conducting property of the two fibers at and through the juncture. However, as a general proposition, these existing optical fiber connector configurations may be characterized by complicated construction design and high cost of fabrication, and may in use fail to provide uniformly precise alignment of the abutting fiber ends.
The present invention provides a novel optical fiber connector wherein the precise butt joining of the ends of two cooperating optical fibers is successfully accomplished. The connector of the present invention is inexpensive and reliable, and is characterized by simplicity of configuration and function, and lends itself easily to manufacture using conventional processes. The connector of the present invention provides the additional advantage in that a pair of mating connectors utilized to hold two optical fibers in an abutting relationship are substantially identical, which may substantially reduce the cost and complexity of equipment incorporating fiber optic light transmission means.
It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved optical fiber connector for joining two optical fibers in an abutting relationship.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an optical fiber connector which is self-aligning.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a self-aligning optical fiber connector wherein the abutting ends of the optical fibers are held in precise mating relationship under mild axial compression on the abutting optical fibers.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent as the detailed description of certain representative embodiments thereof proceeds.